Inking device for printing machines



1 19 27 H. P. ELLIOTT INKING DEVICE FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed August 17, 1925 Patented Jan. 1a, 1927.

umren STATES ON I. ELLIOTT,- OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

mama nnvIoE FOB Application filed August 17, 19 5. serial'li 'o. 50,880.

This invention relates to inking devices for printing machines and has for objects the provision of an ink roll adapted to contain a supply of liquid ink, and having inkpassages in a portion of its periphery, with means to maintain the roll normally in position-with the ink-passages above the level of ink in the roll; and means to lower the roll into rotatable engagement with an. inkdistributing roll, whereby to distribute-ink on the surface of said latter roll, and thereinafter to return the roll to its normal position.

A further object is generally to improve the construction and operationjof inking and equivalent devices.

Fig. 1 is a detailed side elevation of the inking mechanism of a stencil printing nachine embodyingthe invention.

Fig. 2 is aplan view of the inking device, including the ink roll, embodyingthe invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail through one of the trunnion-supports for the ink roll, il-

lustrating especially the eccentric rotatable support for the'fink-roll."

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and illustrating respectively the. inoperative and operative positions of the ink roll. v

The inking device embodying the inven tion is well adapted for use in a' stencil printin mechanism wherein the ink-roll is 'adapte upon need, to deposit ink onto the periphery. of roll 10, which transfers it to roll 12 and thence to roll 14, which latter roll, when depressed, operates on a stencil 16 to eifect the printing operation. Ink

,need be applied to the surfaces of said rolls only at intervals and, consequently, the

inking device is adapted normally to be supg ported out of contact with said roll 10.

- The inking device embodying the invention includes an ink-roll comprising a hol-- low cylinder 20 adapted to contain a supply of li uid ink within it, which may-be introduce' within the roll through an opening in one of the hubs 22which'extend outwardly from the end-walls of the roll. The filleropenin may be removably closed by a screw-t readed filler-plug 24'.-

A. po'rtionofthe circumferenceof said rolls is provided with a plurality of erforations 26 which extend into the interior of the. c linder and rovide ink-passe es 'throug whichthe i may pass to be e 4 said hu PRINTING macnnms.

posited on the transfer or distributingroll 10. Said perforations are staggeredwith respect to. each other as illustrated in Fig.-

2,-whereby to distribute ink in small drops or globules uniformly over the axial length of the transfer roll 10. The perforations 26 extend over a relatively small circumferential extent of the ink roll so that they.., will all lie above the ink-level within the 66 ink-roll when said roll is. in its normal and inoperative position, thereby to prevent ink from running out of the perforations when not desired. The roll is normally maintained with its perforations in the-aforesaid 70 relation by a weight '28which is disposed within the ,ink roll and secured to the side?" wall thereof beneath its axis and on the side" opposite said perforations, whereby to unbalance the roll in a direction to maintain I the perforations above the ink-level, when the roll is not being rotated. The ink-roll is adapted to be maintained normally in elevated osition above and free from contact with t e distributing r 11 1 andmeans are provided to support it in such relation and'to raise and lower'it out of and into rotatable and ink-transferring engagement with' said roll, upon need. Said means prises s aced hu and extended in the same direction outwardly toward the periphery'ofand over opposite end walls ofsaid ink-roll, and

- a relatively massive bar 36 which is integral 9 with said arms and serves rigidly to connect said arms, and hubs, and extends axially over and is free from engagement withvthe periphery of said ink-roll.

Said supporting tween arms '38 of the printing machine and above the distributing roll 10, and the hubs 32 of said frame are rotatably disposed removably inslots 40 in said arms- Said frame may be retained i'emovably in said 10o position by pins 42 which are extended across said slots40 over said hubs and, if desired, spring-members 44 may be disposed between saidhubs and pins, whereby to exert some frame is' extended 'be- 06" includes a suppprting frame which coms 32, arms 34 integral with amount of springressure on the frame to maintain it in the ttoms of said slots.

The ink-roll 20 is disposedwithin said supporting frame and .is sup rted rotatably on trunnion-pins 46, which'pins are screwck-nuts 48'uon A threaded: removably' in said. hubs. 32' and ex-' tend freely into axiall v-ali "ed recesses in the outer ends of said pins serve to securethem in set osition.

In accor ance with this invention, said trunnion-pins are eccentrically disposed in the hubs 32 of'said frame, or are offset from the axis of said hubs, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The normal or unoperated position of the ink-roll and supporting frame is illustrated in F 4, where the ink-roll is in raised position above the distributing roll 10, with the perforations 26 in the upper portion of the roll above the ink-level therein and with the axis of the ink roll about on the level of the axis of the supporting frame, and forwardly thereof. When ink is to be applied to the surface of the distributing roll, the frame is rotated forwardly, or in a counter-clockwise direction, Figs. 4 and 5, thereby lowering the axis of the ink-roll and moving it onto the rotating distributing roll, in which position it will be maintained by the. weight of the parts. The rotation of the distributing roll causes the ink-roll to rotate in engagement therewith and to move the ink-perforations 26 oelow the ink level, whereby ink will flow out of the ink-roll onto the surface ofthe distributing roll. When a sufficient amount of ink has been de osited on the ink-roll, the

supportin frame is returned to its originalposition, t ereby raising the ink-roll from contact with the-distributing roll; and the weight 28 will su port the ink-roll with the ink-perforations isposed above the ink-level. One of the hubs 32 of the supporting frame is provided with a handle 50 whereby to reciprocate the frame to raise and lower the ink-roll. The weight of the frame, re sidin principally in the cross-bar 36, is dispose to hold the frame, and the ink-roll, in whatever position it may be moved. A pin 52 may extend from one of the arms 34 of the supporting frame into a position to engage with the op osite side walls of one of the notches in t e arms 38 of the inking mechanism, whereby to limit the movement of the frame. a

I claim: 1. An ink-rollfor a rinting machine comprising a hollow, in -eont'aining cylinder aving perforations ina portion only of its eriphery, means to support said cylinder or rotation about its axis, means to hold said rotatable cylinder in position with its perforations normally above the ink-level in said cylinder, and means to raise and lower said cylinder including means biasin said cylinder to remain in both raised an lowered positions.

2. An ink-roll for a rintin machine comprising an eccentrical y-weig ted, rotatable cylinder having peripheral-perforations opposite the wei ht, a supporting frame for said cylinder avinghubs disposed at the ends of said cylinder on which the frame is t rotatably supported, and trunnion-pins for said rotatable cylinder carried cccentrically by said hubs.

3. An ink-roll for a printing machine comprising an eccentrically-weighted rotatable cylinder having peripheral perforations opposite the weight, and means to raise and lower said cylinder including a rotatablysupported frame having eccentric supporting means for said rotatable cylinder, said frame having two positions into-which it may be moved, and means biasing said frame to remain in both of said positions.

4. An ink-roll for a printing machine comprising an eccentrically-weighted rotatable cylinder having peripheral perforations opposite the weight, means to raise and lower said cylinder including a rotatablysupported frame having eccentric supporting means for said rotatable cylinder, said frame having two positions into which it may be moved, and means including a weight carried by said frame arranged to holdsaid frame in both of said positions.

5. An ink-roll for a printing machine comprisin an eccentrically-weightd rotatable cylinder having peripheral perforations opposite the weight, and means to raise and lower said cylinder including a rotatablysupported unbalanced frame having eccentric supporting means for said rotatable cylinder.

6. An ink-roll for a printing machine comprising an eccentrically-weighted rotatable cylinder having peripheral perforations opposite the weight, and means to raise and lower said cylinder including a rotatablysupported unbalanced frame having eccentric supporting means for said rotatable cylinder, and a stop-member to hold said frame in positions corresponding to raised and lowered positions of said ink-roll.

7. An inking device for a printing machine compriszng a frame having spaced and aligned hubs on which the frame is rotatable and an off-set, wei hted bar connecting said hubs, a rotatable ink-roll disposed between said hubs, and trunnion pins screwthreaded eccentrically in said hubs and arran ed in supporting relation with said rotata le ink-roll.

8. An inking device for a printing machine comprising a frame having spaced and aligned hubs on which the frame is rotatable, which hubs extend outwardlybeyond the body of said frame, and an ofi' 'set, weighted bar connecting and disposed between said hubs, and an ink-roll disposed between said hubs and rotatably supported eccentrically therebetween, said 'ink-roll comprising an eccentrically-weighted cylinder having peripheral perforations opposite the weight.

t). An; inking device for a printin machine comprising an eccentrically-welghted rotatable cylinder having peripheral perforations opposite the weight, means to raise and lower said cylinder and means urging said cylinder for movement toward the raised position thereof.

10. An inking device for a printing ma chine comprising a pair of spaced, arms having opposed open slots therein, a frame having hubs journalled in said slots and having an offset bar connecting, and extended upwardly from, Said hubs, means to reciprocate said frame, and an ink-roll pivotally mounted eccentrically in said frame between said hubs.

11. An inking device for a printing ma-' chine comprising a pair of spaced arms having opposed slots therein, a frame having hubs journalled in said slots and having an offset bar connecting, and extended upwardly from, said hubs, means to reciprocate said frame, means to retain said frame reinovably in said arms including pins extended transversely across said slots, springmembers disposed between said pins and hubs and bearing against both, and an inkroll pivotally-mounted eccentrically in said frame between said hubs.

12. An inking device for a printing ma chine comprising a pair of spaced arms having opposed slots therein, a frame having hubs journalled in said slots and having an offset bar connecting and extended upwardly from said hubs, means to reciprocate said frame, means to retain said frame removably in sa d arms including pins extended transversely across said slots, spring-members disposed between said pins and hubs and bearing against both, and an ink-roll pivotally mounted eccentrically in said frame between said hubs, said ink-roll comprising an eccentrically-weighted rotatable cylinder having peripheral ink-passages opposite the weight.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name t-o this specification.

I-IARMON P. ELLIOTT 

